Foresters are often expected to be experts in all kinds of trees
including fruit trees - so it is important to be aware of some of the basics of
fruit tree culture.

I. Differences between forestry for wood products and for fruit

A. Short term, usually annual production cycle.B.
Intensive cultural practices; fertilization, pruning, grafting, disease and pest
control.C. In summary, fruit trees are domesticated trees needing a series
of special treatments.

II. Critical Cultural Practices in detail

A. Pruning

1. Specific systems vary according to the crop2.
Some basic rules are generally valid

a. space for every branch and a branch for every
space.b. watch the timing - generally in the lowest growth period (dormancy)
of the tree.c. prune in a way that the tree can heal over clear cuts, no
projecting stumps - so that rain will not collect in the
cut.

B. Grafting

1. What?

- The union of the cambium layers of a parent tree
(stock) and a desired variety (scion) in such a way that the two form a solid,
growing unit.

a. continued growth from the scion is true to the scion's
characteristics and is not a combination of stock and scion.

b. essential to protect grafts of all types with wax and/or by
wrapping to prevent drying out or mechanical damage.

2. Why?

a. to achieve desired variety of fruit with root stock
adapted to local conditions.b. to gain time - multiplying a desired variety;
faster than plants from seeds.c. to assure genetic purity.d. to have
several varieties on one tree for pollination purposes.e. for repair
purposes - renewing an old tree or repairing girdled trunks - rodents or
mechanical damage.

3. When?

- Beginning of the growth period.

4. Types

a. top working - renewing of a tree

- cleft graft,- whip graft,- bark
graft.

b. repair

- bridge graft

c. budding

- most practical and reliable,- demonstrations and
practice of cutting bud shields,

- T-cuts, inserting and
wrapping.

Trainer's Note: During pilot we were able to arrange for
some trainees to observe beekeeping during this same time. We gave trainees the
choice between fruit tree grafting and
beekeeping.